All music has connotations, and nothing evokes “cool” like an organ trio. Comprised of drums, guitar and a Hammond B-3 organ, the musicians have room to experiment and move around, filling in gaps when an instrument breaks into a lengthy solo. But no matter what instrument has taken the spotlight for the moment, it all comes back to the organ.

“The first time I heard [the organ] and discovered the organ trios I fell in love with it,” says Bill Connor, a local organ servicer and drummer for the Dive Bar’s new organ trio in residence on Wednesday nights.

The Hammond B-3 is not your regular keyboard. Connor explains that when playing the B3, the performer is really controlling four parts at once: keys, pedals, buttons and drawbars that pull out of the organ’s body, shifting the timbre of each note.

“It’s a monster, but it can be anything. It depends how you control it,” Connor says.

Organist Eli Winderman was attracted to the B-3 for the same reason. “It’s a great feeling. You’re in control.”

He brings up the draw bars. “You mix and match different sounds. There are endless possibilities with these. When you’re listening to an organ you wonder, ‘What draw bars are out right now?’”

Connor and Winderman first met outside a club and talked about their interest in playing the organ. Soon after, Winderman, who lives in Boston, is a Berkley grad and plays organ in his own Boston-based band Dopapod, was working with Connor in his Worcester shop. The two of them decided to start playing music together, inviting Johnny Trama to add guitar, and moved a Hammond B-3 that Connor built into the Dive’s collection of instruments and amps.

“I donated it, but it’s technically for sale. But I don’t think it’s something someone will snatch up. If they do I told Alec [Lopez, Dive Bar’s owner] I’ll bring in another one,” Connor says.

The location was clear from the beginning. “This last year it seems like more and more of our music has been based around the organ — a lot of funk and jazz,” says Lopez, “Eli is the happiest man in the world right now, since he usually has to lug that stuff from Boston.

“The Hammond has kind of opened that door for us to do something special,” he continues. “Dive has evolved in the past year. This next year will legitimize the Dive as a music venue for world-class musicians.”

Connor also cites the Dive Thursday music series as inspiration for leaving his organ there. “It’s a cool place because you go there and you know you’re going to see something good. He [Lopez] doesn’t have music just to have music.”

Notes Lopez: “My philosophy with music is the same as it was at the beginning: it has to be exceptional. If it’s not good it doesn’t have to be there.”

When asked how long the trio’s residency will last, Winderman gives a fitting answer for an organist — open-ended and laid back. “It’s gonna go until it ends,” he says with a laugh.

There are plenty of reasons why you should
recognize Shana Morrison. She has released three solo albums since 1999, made numerous appearances at major music festivals, and oh, you may have caught her on tour with her father, Van Morrison.

She doesn’t make it easy for the casual listener: each of her albums has explored different genres, touching classic rock, blues, pop and jazz. Currently, she’s working on a fourth album, which she describes as “a little more Americana.”

Morrison traces back her musical exploration to her youth. “My grandparents had a record shop when I was growing up,” she says. “I’d work there on the weekends and I’d get paid with albums, so I ended up having quite a big record collection. I think the diversity of the music I write kind of comes from what I was exposed to at a young age.”

Even seeing her live, which Worcester will be able to do on Thursday, May 28, at the Dive Bar, offers no guarantee that she’ll sound like she did before. It seems that Morrison has a different band in each part of the country. Out here on the East Coast she has become very familiar with local musicians Roger Lavallee, Ron Mominee and Duncan Arsenault of the Curtain Society, and Huck’s Scott Riccuiti.

“We had done a few shows backing up Jim Carroll when he came to this area,” said Lavallee on how the group formed, “and I believe he and Shana share an agent. When she was looking for a band to back her up on the East Coast, he thought to call us.

“I’m not sure what would have made it seem that a band capable of backing up more of a art/punk rock icon would be the right band for a more soulful artist like Shana, but it actually is a great fit.”

Morrison agrees. “I kind of just met them through two degrees of separation and went out there and rehearsed a little bit with them and played some shows with them and we just had so much fun. It was like a mutual love fest. We had such a good time that now whenever I go out there we play.”

The variations that come with using multiple bands keep Morrison energized. “It’s nice for me to have a little bit of a different take on the songs because it kind of breathes a little bit of new life into it for me. It’s more exciting than just ‘let’s all play it exactly like the record.’”

Despite Morrison’s experience at major festivals and large music halls, both she and Lavallee know the Dive Bar’s atmosphere will only add to the show. “Because [the Dive Bar]’s so small, you feel that there’s no barrier between the musicians and the audience,” says Lavallee. “Shana’s style is going to fit right in there. The energy level will tear the roof off the place.”

“Every place has got a different vibe,” Morrison said. “Sometimes it’s great to play at a big place, but you know, it also can be really cool to play at a smaller place. From what Duncan says, the Dive is a great, great, atmosphere, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Shana Morrison will perform at the Dive Bar at 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 28. There’s no cover, and a lot of the best beer in the world. You can also catch her May 29 at the Hi Hat in Providence, and Saturday, May 30, at Point Breeze in Webster. Learn more at shanamorrison.com.

Tonight is the 5th annual 420 Party at The Dive Bar! Come get “Hazed” with us and Marvin Simpson of Boulder Beer! Duncan is anchoring the band for tonights festivities and I will be feeding you in our usual style! Hope to see you there!